Computer Extraction of Electrocardiographic Parameters

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Abstract
Since the medical importance of most electrophysiologic signals is due to empiric relations established between them and disease and gross pathology, the prime requirement for medically useful computer extraction of data is a clear-cut definition of the parameters that have been found to be useful clinically. Methods of extracting pertinent variables from each electrophysiologic signal will vary depending on the clinical value placed on segments of the signal. This study demonstrates, with the ecg as the model signal, that pertinent variables can be extracted automatically from an electrophysiologic signal, by a computer system, when relatively precise working definitions of the useful clinical parameters of the signal are formulated. For demonstration only principal ecg waveforms and intervals were measured. The present experience shows that the program can be expanded to include any desired ecg measurement from any lead by relatively minor modification procedures. Modifications to amplify the program to detect and exclude artifacts or arrhythmic variations also possible without unduly taxing the project.